Cutter



P 1943- R. B. EATON 2,329,399

CUTTER Filed May 12, 1941 Patented Sept. 14, 1943 [UNITED STATES "PATENTf c "2,329,399 CUTTER v v Robert Bribes-moi, Des Moincsl lowa vAPp'licationMay 194l, Serial No. 393,047

*1 Claims. (01.30.45). I

This invention relates to cutting and scraping devices. Morespeoifically,.it relates to such devices in which a razor :blade isemployed as the cutting or scraping edge. It further relates to holdersfor razor blades. 1

The problem of, disposing of used razor blades is'well known. Furtheritlis an economic'waste to discard these blades which are no longersufficiently sharp to be used for shaving; :for they still retain anedge amply sharp ion-cutting-most materials. They are normallycompounded from reasonably high quality steel and are therefore capableof retaining an edge for substantial periods of time which issatisfactory for most cutting operations. I have devised .a novelcutting tool employing .as the cuttingedge -a razor blade of the singleedgetypa Of course,

members other than razor blades may be em ployed in my tool, but razorblades are normally the most available source for the .cutting blade.Other cutting tools employing razor blades have been produced in .thepast but these commonly require tightening .of screws orynuts in orderto insure retaining the blade within the holder and they do notnormally"provide means for'shielding the cutting edge when -notzin use.

My novel tool includes a handle consisting of a stock membersuitably-formed at one end according to my invention for receiving andretaining a razor blade, a razor blade, and a clasp member for aiding-inretaining the razor'blade inoperative relationship to said stock. I havefound that an elongated stick of plastic material serves very well asthe base from which'to -fabri cate my stock member. any other suitablematerial may be employed. The blade engaging the portion of the stock isformed by providing a channel extending inwardly from one end of thestock and. by providing a relatively narrow slit extending longi-Obviously, of course, c:

tudinally of the stock and providing communica- It is an object of thisinvention to provide a novel cutting tool employing a single edge typerazor blade or similar "member as the cutting edge.

Another object of this invention is ,to provide a novel handle or holderfor single edge razor blades.

Still another object of this invention is jtoproflvide such a holdercapable of securely retaining the blade in operative position andcapable-also of receiving the blade in suchia'manner, as to protect itscutting edge when not desired for use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cutting tool inwhichthe cutting member may be changed from operative to inoperativeposition .or, vice versa with facility,

In order that a more clear and concise understanding .of my inventionmaybe had, .reference should be made to, the accompanying drawing,forming a part of thisspecification, in which: I h Fig. 1 is asideelevationof one embodiment of jmy cutting tool with the-cutting,memberin inoperative position.

Fig. '2 is (a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with, thecutting member in operative position;

Fig. 3 isanenla'r'gd front endview of the structureas shown in'Fig.2., k

' Fig. 4nis an enlarged crosssectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.v t Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged bottom view of the handlememberfree of a cutting member.

Referring more specifically to the. drawing,-1 have used the numeral IDto designate theholder or handle portion generally. ll designates thestock in the forwardend 12 of which the razor blade l3 or other. cuttingmember is received ,vides meansbflcommunication through the wallstructureof the .channel to the outside along the bottomsideof theforward end portion 12 of the stock .I I. When in operative position,the enlarged or reinforced portion 7 l6 of the/razor blade 13, isreceived within the channel .M and the thin section I! of the blade !3extends 5011i wardly through and past the slit it to expose the cuttingedge .l8. As appears clearly in Rig;v 2, not the entire longitudinalextension of the en-v larged portion i6 of the blade I l3 ;is receivedin the channel 14 when .the ibladeis in operative position. [6 oftheblade is of a thickness greater than the width oflthe slit IS, the,blade I;3q.oa.-nnot engages the notch 24 in the-blade I3.

become disengaged from the holder I through transverse movement. A claspmember I9 is provided for limiting longitudinal movement of The endportions 2I and 22 may extend through the restricted portions 22 and 23into the ohan 1 In. fact,it is nel I4, but such is not essential. not atall essential to my invention that the .forward end portion I2 berestricted'as at 22-and channel and slit. In placing the blade ininoperative position in the holder the fastening member I9 is swung sothat its outer loop portion is to the slit side of the forward portionI2. The thin section I! of the blade I3 is then introduced into thechannel and slit with the cuttin edge adjacent that wall of the channelI4 which is substantially opposite the slit I5. The blade is then slidrearwardly, the fastener I9 being so stationed that its outer loopportion is to the outer edge of the enlarged section I6.

The term stock is used in this specification i and claims to designatethe member in my tool blade I3 extends beyond the'forward end por tionI2 of the stock II and the clasp member I9 1 Since in the normal cuttingmovement power is applied to the handle with the handle in a positioneither substantially lateral fromthe cutting member or slightly forwardfrom. the cutting member, the blade I3 in my construction is I securely,supported in all directions necessary for successful operation as acutting tool.

When the holder II is traveling substantially lateral of the blade I3 inthe cutting movement, the enlarged section I6 of the blade I3 is bearinglargely against that portion of the Wall structure of the channel I4which is substantially opposite the slit I5. When the holder portion istraveling slightly forward of the blade I3, the blade is bearingpartially against the upper wall structure of the channel I4 partiallyagainst that portion of the Wall structure of the channel I 4 which isadjacent the slit I5 and partially against the fastening member I9.'VVhen the blade I3 is in inoperative position, the cutting edge-and asubstantial portion of the thin section I1 of the blade is received inthejchannel It as appears clearly in Fig- 1. ,Other portions of the thinsection I1 are positionedwithin the slit I5 and the outer edge of theenlarged section I6 is engaged by the fastening means I9 substantiallyin the manner shown in Fig. 1. In the inoperative position, the bladedoes not normally extend beyond the forward end of theportion I2. Theclasp I9 engaging the blade I3 inthe manner shown in Fig. 1 prevents theblade from becoming disengaged from the holder as a result of thatportion of the thin section II contained in the channel I4 slidingoutwardly through the slit I5.

In assembling my cutter," the enlarged portion I6 of the razor blade I3and that portion of the thin section I! which is adjacent said enlargedportion I6 are introduced intothe forward ends of the channel I4 andslit I5 being certain that the clasp member I9 is to the enlargedsection edge of the blade I3. The blade I3 is slid longitudinallybackwardly intothe channel I4 and slit I5 to a point such'thatit ispossible to swing the fastening member I9 to 'a position such'thatitsouter 100p portion is forward of the forwardmost'end of the blade I3.The blade I3 is then slid forwardly until the notch 24 is engaged by theouter loop section of the fastener I9 as appears clearly in' Fig. 2. Indisassembling. the blade is slid backwardly until the notch 24disengages the fastener I9 audit is possible toswing said fastener totheside of the enlarged portion I6 edge of the blade whereupon thebladeis slid longitudinally forward until it 'disengages the which isgrasped by the user and which has in its forward end portion structureadapted to receiving, at least in part, the cutting member;

Bottom as used herein is intended to designate that surface of theholder on which the slit I5 opens and correspondingly positionedsurfaces on othermembers.

My cutter has a variety of uses not only in the kitchen as a chopper andpeeler, but also in. the household in connection with seamstress worksuch as ripping, marking and cutting. The tool also has wide applicationin commercial fields especially in cutting wrappings on packages and thelike and in cutting up cardboard boxes and similar materials.

The size of the channel I4 may be varied and need only be sufllcient toreceive the enlarged section of the cutting member, If larger than this,grooves may be provided adjacent the slit I5 on either side thereof andextending longitudinally therewith capable of receiving the bot-- tomedges of the enlarged section I6 when the same is in operative position.The clasp I9 may be of any suitable nature. For example, a half loopsuitably mounted and pivoted might be employed.

Other suitable control means may be substituted for the notch 24 or saidnotch may be omit ted. clasp I9, it may be varied in size. The length'ofthe channel and slit may be varied if theyare sufficiently long, theloop I9 may be to either edge of the blade when it is being insertedinto the handle.

I have described a specific embodiment of'my invention for illustrativepurposes, but it is apparent that one skilled in the art will be able tomake certain'modifications and variations in the structure as describedand this without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention', Ith'erefore wish to be limited herein only by appended claims.

I claim:

1. A handle for a cutting tool comprising a stock, a largely closedchannel extending inwardly into said stock from one end thereof. anarrow slit extending longitudinally of said stock connecting saidchannel with the outside of said stock, anda clasp member on saidst'rSck capable of engaging an end of a blade to at least aid inretaining it in said slit. a

2. A handle for a cutting tool comprising a stock, a deep narrow grooveextending for a distance longitudinally of said stock from'one endthereof, a longitudinally extending enlarged sec- If a loop member beemployed as the the wardly into said stock from one end thereof, anarrow slit extending longitudinally of said stock connecting saidchannel with the outside of said stock, and a generally bow-shapedmember having inturned ends so pivotally mounted on said stock that saidbows outer loop portion is capable of swinging to a position forward ofthat end of the stock on which said channel opens and is capable also ofswinging to a position such that its inner surface is substantiallyfacing said slit.

4. A handle for a cutting tool comprising a stock, a largely closedchannel extending inwardly into said stock from one end thereof, anarrow slit extending longitudinally of said stock connecting saidchannel with the outside of said stock, restricted areas on the outersurface of said stock on each side of said channel and slit extending tothe adjacent end of said stock, and a generally bow-shaped member havinginturned ends so pivotally mounted on said restricted areas of saidstock that said bows outer loop portion is capable of swinging to aposition forward of the adjacent end of the stock and is capable also ofswinging to a position such that its inner surface is substantiallyfacing said slit.

5. A cutter comprising a stock, a largely closed channel extendinginwardly into said stock from one end thereof, a narrow slit extendinglongitudinally of said stock connecting said channel with the outside ofsaid stock, a blade member having an enlarged section at least partiallyreceived in said channel and longitudinally slidable therein and havinga thin section at least a part of which extends through said slit andwhich supports a cutting edge outside the bounds of said stock, and aclasp member on said stock capable of engaging an end of said blade toat least aid in retaining it in said slit and channel.

6. A cutter comprising a stock, a largely closed channel extendinginwardly into said stock from one end thereof, a narrow slit extendinglongitudinally of said stock connecting said channel with the outside ofsaid stock, a blade member having an enlarged section at least partiallyreceived in said channel and longitudinally slidable therein andhaving athin section at least a part of which extends through said slit andwhich supports a cutting edge outside the bounds of said stock, a claspmember on said stock capable of engaging the outer forward end of saidblade to at least aid in retaining said blade in said slit and channel,and means on the for ward end of said blade for controlling the positionof said clasp.

7. A cutter comprising a stock, a largely closed channel extendinginwardly into said stock from one end thereof, a narrow slit extendinglongitudinally of said stock connecting said channel with the outside ofsaid stock, a blade member having an enlarged section at least partiallyreceived in said channel and longitudinally slidable therein and havinga thin section at least a part of which extends through said slit andwhich supports a cutting edge outside the bounds of said stock, agenerally bow-shaped member having inturned ends pivotally mounted onsaid stock and capable of engaging the forward end of said blade, and anotch on the forward end of said blade for controlling the position ofsaid bow.

ROBERT BRUCE EATON.

